1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to portable clothes drying racks and devices, and more particularly to drying racks of the type that can be erected over a bathtub or shower stall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many clothes drying racks have been available in the past, but only a few have been directed to solving the problem of conveniently hanging wet clothes, such as lingerie, light towels, synthetic blouses, etc., over a bathtub or shower stall for drying. Such devices need, of course, to be portable, readily mountable in a drying position, easy to take down, lightweight, formed of reasonably long-lasting materials, and inexpensive.
Among known prior art drying racks is one which comprises two substantially straight threadingly interconnected hollow tube members, one of which is axially adjustable relative to one another, and one of which has a hook member at its outer end adapted to fit over a shower curtain rod. The two members are threadingly extendible until a desired operating length is reached so that one end thereof may hook over the shower rod while the opposite end abuts an opposing wall of the tub or shower stall enclosure. A significant problem encountered with this particular prior art device is that it is geometrically unstable under load. Thus, in order to maintain the device between the shower rod and wall, it must be erected on a slight pitch to the horizontal; i.e., the end abutting the tub enclosure wall must be placed higher than the end hooked over the shower curtain rod to insure that the weight of the wet clothes hanging therefrom does not overcome the frictional engagement of the one bar end with the enclosure wall and cause the clothes and rack to fall. Such an inclined operating position, however, renders the device unacceptable because clothes suspended on wire clothes hangers or the like tend to slide toward the lower end of the bar, while clothes merely draped thereover shift and slide in a similar manner.
Another known device of the prior art employs a three-piece triangular structure in which the hypotonuse member extends angularly between the enclosure wall and the shower curtain rod, while the article supporting base member is adjustable through cooperating pin and slot connections with the hypotonuse member to achieve a horizontal position and accommodate differing distances between the shower curtain rod and an opposing support wall. Because of its limited positions of adjustment, this device is difficult to install and is not dependably secure when erected.